Branch out means start doing something new, beyond what you usually do: the bakery has branched out into catering. Picture a tree growing a new branch while the old ones stay. Branch out on your own means leave a company or team and start working for yourself.
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branch out into + field / -ing; branch out on your own
- The bakery has branched out into catering.
- After years of illustration, she branched out into animation.
- He left the studio and branched out on his own.
What changed
First versionThe shop branched out into sell handmade furniture.
RevisionThe shop branched out into selling handmade furniture.
When an action follows into, it's easy to write the bare verb: into sell. But into is a preposition, so the verb takes -ing: into selling. Or use a noun instead: branched out into furniture.
Expand means grow in the same business: more shops, more customers. Branch out means a new direction. The bakery expanded: it opened a second café. The bakery branched out into catering: it started a new kind of work. Open a branch literally means open a new office or shop.
Your turn
Choose the form after into: The studio is branching out into ___ documentaries.
Show the answer
making — Into is a preposition, so the verb after it takes -ing: branching out into making. Bare make doesn't follow a preposition.
Describe a person or small business that moved into a new kind of work.
The photographer branched out into making short films for local charities.
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